


I Should Have Known A Little Better

by Crazyaniknowit



Series: I Don't Care But I Do [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, it's getting worse before it gets better, keith rethinks himself, some resolution, somewhat violent sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-21 22:06:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15567348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazyaniknowit/pseuds/Crazyaniknowit
Summary: In which Keith addresses his faults.





	I Should Have Known A Little Better

**Author's Note:**

> I figure this one might be a bit triggering in the beginning? I'm not sure it constitutes as non-con but it's definitely dubious consent. So yeah, just go in with that warning. 
> 
> And I made myself cry twice writing it so yeah.
> 
> (Title from Filthy Pride -Social Repose)  
> (Art by me)

James was off. Like  _way_  off. 

Usually the other cadet would look his way during classes, during lunch, and when they happened to pass in the halls. And Keith knew their... _relationship_...was nothing short of circumstantial. Though Keith himself didn't exactly understand  _why_ he kept flocking to James after that time in the broom closet. It was a way of venting frustration, of enriching his fantasies of a man he knew he shouldn't be fantasizing about, and he wouldn't admit it but sometimes it was just because he felt like being with James. It was...mostly simple, and while he wasn't really sure what James got out of it, he was starting to see that perhaps it was very little. 

The whole thing had always made him feel guilty. Almost always been a painful experience simply because it had so little substance. Pretty much every time he came with James inside him it left a hollow hole in his chest and a pang of sympathy for James because he knew he was blatantly using him. And yet despite how bad it made him feel, how the guilt ate away at him piece by piece, he  _still_ went to James. He still sought him out and fucked him and insisted to himself that it still meant...meant  _nothing_. James was becoming something like an addiction, he knew he shouldn't do it but it just kept drawing him in. Like a siren's call. 

Keith was at his door, as he sometimes was, though usually he was dragging (a willing) James there and not knocking. But James had been retiring to his room too early for Keith to catch him the past couple weeks. He had a sneaking suspicion he was actively  _trying_ to avoid him, and if that was the case then he would leave him alone. He would. But he did need James to actually tell him if there was a problem. 

The door slid open and Keith scratched the back of his neck when he was faced with that scowl. It wasn't James' usual scowl. It was cold, yeah, but also weary and pained. James looked him up and down and either he was bad at recognizing body language or he just felt like coupling. Because Keith gasped when his wrist was grabbed and he was pulled inside. Keith wasn't actually there for the usual quick fuck. He really was only there to talk. But...but he  _was_ also going to ask if James was getting what he was after anyway. So if James  _wanted_  to... Who was he to deny him when he technically wanted the same thing? 

Keith sat on the bed when prompted, no words were spoken, and James pulled his shirt over his head to toss it away while he moved to grab the lube. Keith bit his lip as he followed suit, unbuckling his belt and more gently discarding his uniform. He hooked his thumbs in his pants and kicked his boots off before he drew them down his legs. James was on him in an instant, and he huffed out a breath as he was pushed down and covered, fingers fumbling at his ass and James wearing this distant expression that Keith was really starting to feel wary of. 

"James?" he prodded, and the other boy blinked at him before he flipped him over. Keith furrowed his brow and raised his hips, biting back involuntary noises as he was rather ruthlessly stretched. Usually if he wanted this he would prepare himself a couple hours beforehand or even directly beforehand. So it was bordering on painful - and not the good kind- the way James worked him open. No prelude to jamming two and then three fingers in with almost no breathing room. "James!  _Ahh!_  E-easy." he gasped out, and the fingers stilled before they started scissoring a little gentler. And after a moment the tenseness gradually left Keith's shoulders and he started to let himself get lost in the pleasure. 

Then he startled and cried out a broken shout as James was pressing in, it burned and it stung a bit and he blinked at the prick of tears in his eyes as he turned his head to fix James with an incredulous glare. "Fucking J- _James?_ " he was going to reprimand him but honestly he'd seen that expression before. In himself. James was desperate, he was distant and hollow, his gaze almost blank even through the shadow of arousal. "Are you  _okay?_ " he rasped, and James planted a hand on his shoulder, pushing him down into the sheets as he began to move. Keith grunted at the less than comfortable slide, but he let him take what he needed. Because he knew it helped. It helped to be rubbed raw and exposed, to take everything out on someone who didn't really deserve it. 

It wasn't healthy, but he understood why James needed this. So he let him pound into him despite knowing he would be more than limping later. He let him and he buried his face in the sheets and huffed out hoarse moans and grit his teeth against the burn. James was louder than usual, ragged grunting and moaning and even a few wavering sighs. Keith knew James wasn't okay...and  _that_ was okay. That was what this whole exchange was for. He was just unused to being on the receiving end of the...well, usage. 

Keith whimpered and gripped at the sheets, rocking back and squeezing a bit deliberately around James. He felt a small thrill at the moan he got in reward. So he did it again, and again, and again until James came apart with a cry that sounded distraught. Keith was a bit startled to realize there was no condom. He bit his lip at the warm feeling and reached down to help himself come. James let him, and he reached it with a whine, then he lowered his shuddering body to the sheets, torso propped on his elbows while he stared at the wall and listened to James' heaving breath. 

The silence, broken by their mutual panting, lasted ages. 

There was a sharp, wet intake of breath and Keith raised his head in alarm. He cried sometimes afterwards too, but this was new territory for him. James had never cried...not that Keith knew of anyway. He rolled onto his back and sat up, peering up to try and see around the hand James had pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"James?" he murmured, reaching a hand up to touch his arm. 

James suddenly slapped his hand away and bared his teeth at him, the effect he was after dampened by the obvious tears in his eyes and the pained furrow in his brow. " _Don't_." he snarled, and Keith let his hand drop, confused. 

"I just-" 

"Get out." 

Keith blinked up at him, "James-" 

"Get the fuck  _out!_ " James shouted, and Keith stared at him, shocked, "Don't-" he cut himself off with a sob, wiping at his eyes, "Don't pretend to care." he added in a wavering whisper. 

Keith's lips parted, and he was just...he didn't know what to  _say_ , so he did as he was told. He stood, silently collected his things, and dressed. He hesitated before he headed to the door, and a look at James told him he wasn't going to get anywhere by trying to help. Not today. And it was fair. Granted, Keith knew that James knew his own troubles. They never talked about it but it was pretty fucking obvious. But if James didn't want to talk to him about what was bothering  _him_ , if James was  _this_ upset...then maybe he should do as asked and give him the space he wanted. At least for now. 

"I'm sorry." Keith murmured as he limped out, and he cringed when he heard something crash against the wall inside the room. Rather close to the door. 

 Yeah...it was probably for the best that he left James alone for a while. 

He went to his room and undressed again, getting the tub filled and cleaning himself up before sinking into the hot water with a hiss of pain. And if there was a few speckles of blood on the tissue he used...he didn't dwell on it too long. Keith tugged his knees to his chest and bit his lip, blinking as his vision grew blurry. 

" _Fuck_." he rasped to himself, rubbing a hand over his face and making the tears spill over his cheeks. So this was what it felt like to be on the receiving end? He shook and sobbed into his hands, hissing every now again when movement made his body flash with pain, physically and emotionally.

"I'm so _sorry_." 

* * *

* * *

He watched James sulk from afar in the days that followed. He felt like it was his fault. In fact he  _knew_ it was, after their last...their last  _exchange._  They still passed one another in the hallways and every time an icy glare was sent his way. He knew why James was upset. He knew now. He just...couldn't fathom any particular reason why there had been a sudden shift. One minute he actually thought they had been warming up to one another. In a weird, rather unorthodox way, but they had nonetheless. Sometimes it wasn't even about Shiro for Keith. Sometimes it was that he genuinely enjoyed their couplings. 

Sometimes he felt like hearing James' voice and feeling him inside him. Sometimes. 

It was complicated. His feelings for James were  _complicated_. But when Keith thought about James there was a little ember of fondness, of  _endearment_. It was hard to keep up their mechanical, selfish relationship for very long. And Keith thought back often to when he rode James and he had loved it and he had wanted James to love it too. He remembered just...blatantly cuddling him to his chest, nuzzling against damp, brown hair and wanting to kiss him again. Because he didn't  _hate_  the boy. He was past that. James had hurled a few insults his way, he had been a pain in his ass in a far less enjoyable way through high school, and that was that. James was a different person now, that was the past. Keith didn't know exactly when he had decided to forgive James. He just woke up one day and realized that he had, and maybe had for a while. 

And now he was ashamed. He wanted to fix what he did wrong and he wanted James to stop hurting. Keith didn't like that he was hurting, or that he was angry. He knew how that felt. 

"You okay, Keith?" 

Keith tapped his pencil against the paper and slide his gaze over to Shiro, nodding glumly. 

"I'm fine." 

Shiro raised a brow at him and Keith suddenly felt positively transparent. Like everything he had done over the past few months was suddenly laid out on the table and he was completely exposed. Shiro stared at him for a few seconds, just long enough to make Keith shuffle in place and then wince at the lingering pain in his backside. It had been almost a week and he was still fighting a limp when he walked. 

Just as Shiro looked like he was going to drop it Keith groaned and buried his face in his hands. "I fucked up." 

" _Hey_." 

Keith scowled up at him, " _Messed_ up." he corrected himself. 

Shiro closed his book and sat forward in his seat across from Keith. He crossed his arms against the table and tilted his head, smiling kindly, "Want to talk about it?" 

Keith shook his head, "No. But..." he bit his lip and rubbed at his temple, "I want to know how to  _fix_ it." he finished with a waver in his voice. 

Shiro waited, patient. 

Keith inhaled deeply, exhaling his words, "I have... _had_ a friend and I think I was selfish. I never considered their feelings and then even when I  _knew_ I'd crossed a line I still kept doing it." he said, not elaborating further because honestly how does one explain what exactly James and him and been doing? How he had been using him and how...how he had also been using Shiro even if he didn't and probably wouldn't ever know it. 

"I think I really hurt them." he added quietly. 

Shiro hummed, gaze sympathetic, and Keith blinked when his own eyes started pricking with tears again. "I want...want to fix it." he sniffled, wiping at his cheeks and shying away when it hit him that he was openly crying in front of Shiro of all people. "Shiro...I just want him to know I'm  _sorry_." he rested his forehead against his arms on the table while his shoulders shook. 

Almost immediately there was a broad, warm hand on his shoulder and he turned his face further away into his arms. " _Hey_." Shiro murmured, "It's okay, Keith." 

Keith shuddered and hiccuped before he turned and threw his arms around Shiro, burying his face in his neck. 

"Listen, it's okay to make mistakes, even big ones. Especially when you're acknowledging that you  _made_ them, Keith." Shiro said, rubbing a hand soothingly over his back, "It's hard. It will be harder to fix, but I know you can do it. Why don't you tell him the same thing you just told me? Because I know you mean it, and he will too, okay?" 

Keith nodded, sniffling and trying not to get snot and tears all over Shiro's shirt. "Okay." he murmured, hugging Shiro tighter. " _Okay_." 

* * *

 

* * *

So he pressed a note into James' hand before class after that weekend, and he met his gaze for once without blue eyes glaring back up at him. Instead James looked tentative, unsure as he took the folded piece of paper and watched Keith sit at his own desk. All it contained was a request for James to meet Keith in his room later that day. Keith hunched his shoulders and hung his head throughout the whole lecture, honestly growing a little scared now that he was actually going to talk to James. This time with no intention of fighting or fucking, just plain, simple  _talking_. He just wanted everything fixed. 

It  _would_ be, he knew. One way or the other. They would get some sort of closure today and he was terrified of it. But he was going to do it. So Keith entered his room after the day's classes and simulations had ended and sat on his bed, hands trembling while he waited. And then he started to wonder... What if James ignored the note? Keith bit his lip and hugged himself, worried that he was going to wait all day and James wouldn't show up. 

The knock at his door maybe ten minutes later made him jump, gasping and then flying off his bed to skid to a halt before the door. He opened it and stepped back immediately, turning his gaze to the floor and toeing at it while he waited for James to say something. The other boy was silent, but he stepped inside, hands tucked into his pockets while he went to go sit on the bed and stare at the floor. 

Keith gulped and went to sit down next to him, a good couple feet of breathing room between them. 

"Hey." he prompted, and James crossed his arms, mumbling the same word back. Keith clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on his knees, bouncing one leg and glancing at James. "I...wanted to talk to you." 

James turned to him, a frown set in his lips and a furrow in his brow, "About what?" 

Keith shifted, ignoring the twinge of pain it elicited. "About how shitty I've been." he said, and he looked away when James' eyes grew wide. "I...I..." Keith floundered for his next words, biting his lip and breathing in deeply, "I'm sorry." he said. "I really am." he turned to him, and James was just staring at him, "I know we both went into it knowing we were using each other but I think...I think  _I_ was the one in the wrong." 

James shuffled in place. 

"It never felt like you cared." James whispered. 

Keith turned away and blinked to fight his tears, not yet. He didn't want to cry just yet. "No I...I was inconsiderate. And cruel. And I knew I was but I kept doing it anyway." he hugged himself and hunched over, "I hurt you." 

"Yeah." James rasped, "You  _did_." 

Keith hiccuped on his sob at the confirmation. So much for not crying yet. "I'm  _sorry_." 

James hummed in reply, and Keith looked up to see him staring at the floor, a glimmer of tears yet unshed in his eyes. 

"James." Keith reached a hand over to grab his, and James turned his gaze on him, blinking. "I'm... _so_ sorry." he stood and sat down again closer, bringing the other boy into a hesitant hug. "I care." he whispered. "I  _do_ care." and when James started to quake in his arms he stroked his hair. "I won't do it anymore. I won't use you again. I shouldn't have in the first place." 

James nodded against his shoulder, and he let him stay there, he let himself cry, he let James cry. And as time passed he could feel he had done the right thing. The guilt was still there, but he didn't feel weighed down by it anymore. 

James pulled back and wiped at his face, turning away in what Keith assumed was embarrassment. "Does this make us friends or something?" he asked, and Keith huffed a laugh. 

"I guess." 

"Never thought I'd see the day." James said, and then he turned his head down and bit his lip, "I forgive you." 

Keith heaved a ragged sigh, hanging his head and clutching James' hand tighter. 

"Keith?" 

"Yeah?" 

James used he free hand to tilt Keith's head up, and he met indecisive blue eyes curiously. James made to speak a few times, each one more halted than the last. "Can I...can I kiss you one more time?" 

Keith bit his lip, looking away and running his thumb over the back of James' hand. " _James_..." 

"Please." 

Keith glanced back, and then he sighed softly, giving a nod. James didn't hesitate, he leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Keith's lips. And Keith furrowed his brow when James pulled away. That was all? That was all James was going to do? 

"Your last kiss with me...that's  _really_ all you got?" he asked incredulously. 

James stared at him, getting that fiery look in his eye, and Keith could tell he felt challenged. So he accepted the way he tugged Keith back in by the lapels of his uniform and slanted their mouths together. His tongue delved in and Keith retaliated with his own, grabbing the back of James' head and pulling him into himself. James bit Keith's lip as they parted, panting and gasping for air and pupils blown wide as they stared at each other. 

"How's that?" James drawled, "Better?" 

Keith grinned, "Mmm... _no_." he teased, and then he was falling back because James clambered atop him and made himself intent on practically suffocating Keith with his mouth. Keith squirmed and bucked against him and James ground down atop of him. Keith moaned and then his eyes flew open and he planted a hand on James' shoulder to shove him back just enough that he could breathe, and speak. 

"Wait...I...we aren't supposed to do this anymore." he said. 

James considered, "What you specifically said was you wouldn't  _use_ me anymore." he clarified, and Keith nodded. James gave a nod of his own, "You're not using me today. One more time, Keith. I want this." he paused, "I  _always_ wanted it." he finished in a hoarse whisper. 

Keith blinked up at him, eyes going wide and his breath hitching.

_Oh._

Keith's brows pinched together and his heart clenched with another wave of guilt at the knowledge. So James really wasn't getting anything out of their past exchanges. He was doing it because he wanted Keith...and Keith treated him like an  _object_. 

Keith closed his eyes, "Fuck. I'm so sorry, James." he whispered. 

"I know." 

"I...you know I'm not...I can't love you back." Keith added. James turned his head, nodding. "But this time..." Keith continued, and James glanced at him, "I want you to know that it means something this time. It means  _so much_  to me." he said as he pulled James back down and recaptured his lips. The other boy whimpered into his mouth and he rolled them over, working on the fastenings of James' clothes and then tugging his own uniform over his head. He pulled James' pants down his legs and surged back up to lick into his mouth again, one hand coaxing gently at his cock and making James buck up into his hold. 

"One second." Keith murmured when he pulled back and James chased his lips. The other boy slumped back onto the bed, watching Keith stand and push his pants down before he went to fetch what they needed from his dresser. Keith went to kneel between James' legs and he slicked up his fingers before he pressed them to James' entrance, making his gasp and prop himself up with an incredulous look on his face. 

"What are y-" 

"Let me take care of you for once." Keith said, and then he flushed and turned his head, "Besides I'm...still healing." he added absently. 

James furrowed his brow, but Keith interrupted whatever he had been about to say with another kiss and the careful slide of his finger inside him. James rolled down onto his hand and huffed a moan, and Keith gradually worked a second finger inside him, spreading and scissoring like he knew he liked, and James seemed to like it too. His breath caught rapidly and soft moans left him every so often. Keith suckled and bit at James' collarbone, and the boy gave a breathless laugh. 

"What happened to- _ah_...no marks?" 

Keith hummed and suckled sharply, making him jolt and then licking over the fresh bruise to soothe it, "Just this once." Keith murmured. James' head flopped back into the pillow when Keith added a third finger, making him writhe while he thrusted his hand rhythmically. 

" _Keith_..." James breathed, and despite the small feeling of betrayal for Shiro he always felt in his heart when they did this, Keith reveled in the moan of his name. Besides...Shiro wasn't his anyway. Maybe one day that would sink in. 

Keith looked down and deemed James ready, reaching for a condom and then freezing when James shook his head. "Please just...I want to feel  _everything_." 

Keith heaved a shuddering breath and nodded, grabbing the lube instead and slicking himself up, adding a little more to James for good measure. He hadn't done this before...not to someone else that is, and he was a bit nervous. "James, can we-? Let's do it like this." he said as he rolled onto his back and gestured for James to mount him. This way James would be in complete control, and Keith would feel a little better, not having to worry about whether he might be hurting him  _again_. 

James nodded and sat up, shuffling over to swing his legs over Keith and positioning himself. He sunk down easily, and Keith screwed his eyes shut at the encompassing heat of his body.  _Fuck_ it felt good. Keith reached up to spread his hands over the narrow stretch of James' stomach, gliding them up to fondle his chest and pinch at a nipple. James arched his back and began riding him, short, shallow thrusts that gradually built up that coiling pressure in Keith's belly. James braced his hands on Keith's stomach and hung his head, panting heavily. And Keith watched it all, every furrow of his brow and twitch of his face, the way his lips hung open, rosy and kiss-swollen, the heave of his chest as he breathed and the flex of his thighs as he bounced atop him desperately. 

"James." he rasped in a moan, and the other boy's eyes snapped open, looked at him behind hooded eyes and giving a whimper. " _James_." he moaned again for his benefit, and James arched in place, his movements getting more erratic and his thrusts getting rougher. 

" _Keith_..." James moaned, head thrown back, and Keith took ahold of his cock, thumbing at the weeping slit and grabbing at James' ass to help him ride harder. James cried out and Keith planted his feet on the bed as leverage to thrust up into him. 

"Come on." Keith panted, "Come on, James."

The other boy's breath was cut short in a strangled noise, and then he was spurting into Keith's hand, his body rippling around his cock and making Keith give a sharp moan as he spilled into James. 

"Fuck... _nnn-fuck_...Keith." James was panting, hand planted on the bed beside Keith's head and his forehead resting on Keith's sternum. 

Keith wiped his hand on the bed and stroked up and down James' back, closing his eyes and listening to his heart pumping deafeningly in his ears. This was the last time. No more. This was how it ended. And it was good. Good that they were ending on such a high note, but...Keith was surprised at the wave of sadness it inspired in him. He rolled them onto their sides and kissed James' forehead, his hand gliding across his sweaty skin and down to stroke over his hip. James tilted his head up and Keith met him halfway for the next kiss. 

It was slow and languid and desperate. James whimpered and Keith pulled back to sniff and wipe at his eyes, offering James a sad smile. "I'm sorry." he whispered, and James smiled back. 

"Stop saying you're sorry."  

"Sorry." 

James smacked his shoulder.

Keith chuckled, and James buried his face in Keith's neck, kissing and licking at the sweat droplets there. Keith hummed and buried his fingers in James' hair when he bit his neck, actually bit him, and suckled a bruise into place there. 

" _Finally_." James murmured, and Keith scoffed. "I've been wanting to do that since day one." James defended. 

Keith nodded and pressed his forehead to James'. "I know." he murmured, thumb swiping over James's hip. James pulled him closer with a hand on his thigh and Keith threw the leg over James's own. The kisses were chaste, slow and constant and both of them were emotional. Pausing to wipe at tears or sniffle and then smile because at least now they understood each other. At least now the animosity was over and they could go about their days knowing that neither of them hated one another, neither of them blamed one another. 

"I'll miss this." Keith murmured at some point, they must have been laying there for an hour by then. James hummed, turning his gaze away. 

"I think I love you." 

Keith closed his eyes at the words, turning his head into the sheets and sighing. 

"I don't expect you to love me back. I  _can't_ expect you to. I just had to say it." James continued. "At least once" Keith nodded, lip trembling. James met his gaze and kissed him until he stopped shaking. "It's okay Keith. I understand." he said. 

Keith sniffed and reached down to grab James by the hip again, his own hips canting lightly against him and making him start to pant as he grew hard again. They didn't make a big deal out of it. They simply moved together, kissing lightly, bodies slick with sweat gliding smoothly together until they both came again with moans and whimpers muffled into each other's mouths. 

Keith broke away with a gasp, and James rolled onto his back with a sigh. 

"What did you mean by healing?" 

Keith opened his eyes, exhausted and bleary, "What?" 

James looked at him, "Earlier, you said you hadn't healed yet. What did you mean?" 

Keith bit his lip and hunched his shoulders, "Umm...last time." he mumbled, "I...it wasn't...it kind of...it was  _too_ rough." he articulated brokenly. 

James hissed in a breath through his teeth in realization. "Oh." he breathed, " _Shit_. I'm sorry, Keith. Why didn't you say anything." 

Keith chuckled wryly, "Because you needed it and I...felt guilty. Kind of felt like I deserved it once I realized what I put you through." 

James was silent, staring at him, and Keith rolled onto his back to avoid any further discussion of it, reaching a hand down and then flinching back at the cooling spunk on his belly. He sat up with a sigh and reached for the tissues, wiping himself off before he turned to James. James watched him, brows drawn and eyes sad while he wiped him up. He smiled at him, the gesture not quite reaching his eyes, and tossed the tissues into the trash bin before he lay back down. 

"Do you want to stay?" Keith asked. 

James was silent for a while, and then Keith sighed when he saw him shake his head in his periphery. "I can't." 

Keith nodded. 

"I have homework." James added. 

Keith laughed. And he laughed heartily, clutching his stomach and rolling onto his side again to bury his face in James' arm. 

"Hey some of us gotta study to get good grades, y'know. All these astrophysics are tough." 

"I study!" Keith refuted, "And yeah...it's hard." 

James chuckled and nodded, shoving his shoulder. He waited a few more minutes before he sat up, and Keith watched him as he moved around and collected his things. He didn't seem to care about the trickle of cum that slid down the inside of his thigh, and Keith bit his lip as he watched him pull his clothes on regardless. 

"Keith." James said as he buckled his belt, and Keith sat up. 

"Yeah?" 

James turned to him, eyeing him up and down once with a soft smile, " _Thanks_." he said as he strode back over and leaned down to press a kiss to Keith's lips. Keith tugged at James' lower lip as he pulled back, and the other boy scoffed a laugh. "I gotta go now." 

Keith nodded. It was weird seeing James be the one to leave. It was the first time it had ever happened. And it would be the last. Keith swallowed past the lump in his throat and bit his lip, "Hey James?" 

The other boy turned just as the door opened, and Keith tugged his pillow over his lap just in case someone walked by. "Maybe we could study together sometime?" 

James smiled, "Yeah." he murmured, "I'd like that." 

Keith watched him go, somehow feeling both infinitely lighter and yet weighed down so much more. He felt better. He had done good... _they_ had done good. They were friends. This confusion and this unhealthy thing they had going was taken care of,  _resolved_. And Keith was glad. He lay back on the bed with a sigh, staring at the ceiling and thinking to himself. Thinking about so many things that he eventually fell asleep. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Does this feel like an ending? Well don't worry! It's definitely not. I've got 2 more parts planned.
> 
> (edit I had to sketch that scene: Art by me)


End file.
